Sport
Who were the best players of the Euro 2020 groups?
Euro 2020 is now entering the interesting part after the group stage eliminated eight teams. With the knockout stage set to get under way, here is our team of the tournament so far, taling the best players from the Euro 2020 groups.
Best players of the Euro 2020 groups
GK – Lukas Hradecky (Finland)
Hradecky has been the star of the show for Finland on their maiden tournament appearance. The Bayer Leverkusen stopper was incredibly unlucky to score an own goal against Belgium when the ball bounced off the post and in off him, but he saved a penalty against Denmark.
RB – Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands)
Netherlands were one of three teams to finish the group stage with maximum points and the thrilling bursts from rampaging right-back Dumfries have lit up the tournament.
With two goals already, the PSV star may have caught the eye of Europe’s elite this summer after. Dumfries certainly has one of the best names of any player during the Euro 2020 groups too.
CB – Simon Kjaer (Denmark)
Denmark’s progression to the round of 16 was celebrated across Europe with fans willing them on after playmaker Christian Eriksen’s collapse in their opening group game against Finland.
Captain Kjaer’s response to that shocking moment was heroic. It will never be forgotten.
CB – Tyrone Mings (England)
England supporters were not exactly excited to see Mings’ name on the team sheet as the Euro 2020 groups got underway but he proved himself to be a surprisingly able deputy for the injured Harry Maguire.
Gareth Southgate’s side kept clean sheets in their first two games against Croatia and Scotland at Wembley with Mings in the back line, but Maguire then returned against Czech Republic.
LB – Robin Gosens (Germany)
Germany’s buccaneering 4-2 defeat of Portugal was the best game of the Euro 2020 groups, with Gosens finding space in behind the holders’ defence from left-back time and time again.
He was unlucky to have one goal ruled out for a marginal offside in the build-up but later made up for it with his first strike at a major international tournament. The Atalanta star is one of Germany’s inexperienced names, but is more than holding his own for Joachim Low’s men.
MF – Georginio Wijnaldum (Netherlands)
Signing for Paris Saint-Germain in the middle of the tournament has not acted as any sort of distraction for Wijnaldum, who was expected to join Barcelona at the end of his Liverpool deal.
With three goals from three games, Wijnaldum is a surprise name in the race for the Golden Boot. His well-timed runs from midfield are a key facet of Frank de Boer’s tactics for the Dutch.
MF – Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland)
Switzerland started slowly but their key man Shaqiri dragged them into the knockout stages with a brace in their 3-1 win over Group A’s pointless flops Turkey (the worst dark horses ever?).
Those two goals added to an assist in their first group game against Wales and the Liverpool man will be crucial if Switzerland are to go any further – they face France next. Shaqiri squeezes out Emil Forsberg, whose goals helped a surprisingly effective Sweden side win their group.
MF – Manuel Locatelli (Italy)
An injury to influential PSG midfielder Marco Verratti was expected to hold a widely unfancied Italy back in the Euro 2020 groups but up stepped Locatelli with a goal in each of the Azzurri’s opening two wins.
Locatelli was left out of the win over Wales but he has given Roberto Mancini food for thought with Verratti having made his return in that match. Italy are suddenly among the favourites.
MF – Patrick Schick (Czech Republic)
Schick’s incredible long-range lob over David Marshall was surely the best goal of the Euro 2020 groups, though there is no doubt the Scotland goalkeeper was caught badly out of position.
The striker, a club-mate of Hradecky, is recording more shots per game than almost anyone else in the tournament, with his willingness to go for goal as often as possible paying off in style.
FW – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Ronaldo has fizzled at Euro 2020 with braces against Hungary and France proving crucial to Portugal’s hopes of defending the title they surprisingly collected five years ago.
In what could be the final appearance at a major tournament of his glittering individual career, Ronaldo has surpassed France icon Michel Platini to become the top scorer in Euros history.
The next record in Ronaldo’s sights will be that of Ali Daei, whose 109 goals for Iran is the most strikes in men’s international football – he drew level with a pair of penalties on Wednesday.
FW – Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)
Completing our team of the Euro 2020 groups is Lukaku, with the Belgium striker playing like a man possessed in search of the Golden Boot and helping his side to a 100 per cent record.
On the back of the best season of his career, having fired Inter to the Serie A title, Lukaku has continued his sharp form in front of goal with three strikes in three games to date.
The battle between Ronaldo, Lukaku and others for the Golden Boot is one to watch for sure.
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